The Text I Get After Almost Every Session

There's something that happens after almost every boudoir session I photograph.

It isn't during hair and makeup. It isn't while we're shooting, and it usually isn't even when you see your images for the first time. It happens later that night or the next morning.

My phone buzzes.

Every time I see the notification, I already have a pretty good idea what it's going to say.

The funny thing is, no two messages are exactly alike, but they all have the same heart behind them.

"I can't believe I almost canceled."

"I was so nervous for absolutely no reason."

"I've never felt that beautiful before."

"I wish I would've done this years ago."

"I can't stop thinking about yesterday."

Those messages honestly mean more to me than you'll probably ever know.

When someone first reaches out about booking a boudoir session, they're usually not feeling fearless. They're questioning themselves. They're wondering if they're "the type of woman" who can actually do something like this. They look through my website and convince themselves that every woman they see is naturally confident or somehow different than they are.

But here's the secret...

Almost every single woman you see in my portfolio started exactly the same way.

Nervous.

Second-guessing herself.

Wondering if she should cancel.

Wondering if she'd know what to do.

Then she walks through my studio doors, we start talking, music is playing, hair and makeup is happening, and little by little, the nerves start to fade. We laugh, we celebrate every little win, and before long, she's doing things she never imagined she'd be comfortable doing.

One of my favorite moments is when I hear someone say, "Wait... we're already done?"

Because that's usually the moment I know everything has changed. She walked in expecting an intimidating photo shoot, but she's walking out feeling lighter, stronger, and proud of herself for saying yes.

That's why those text messages mean so much.

They're not really about the photos.

They're about the feeling.

They're about realizing you were capable of something you never thought you could do.

They're about seeing yourself with a little more kindness than you did the day before.

Boudoir has never been about becoming someone else.

It's about remembering the woman who's been there all along.

So if you're reading this and thinking, "That could never be me," I want you to know something.

Every woman who has ever sent me one of those texts probably thought the exact same thing before she booked.

And if I had to guess...

Your message would probably sound a lot like theirs.

"I can't believe I almost talked myself out of this."